Laser shooting system

ABSTRACT

A firearm training system has a plurality of guns each having a memory having a long-code register holding a predetermined gun-specific long code and a short-code register. The gun also has a generator of random short codes. A switch means connected between random short-code generator and the short-code register is actuatable for loading a new short code into the short-code register. The guns also has a laser and circuitry connected to the memory for encoding the laser&#39;s beam with the long and short codes from the respective registers. The target has a data-holding memory, a laser-beam sensor, and a processor connected to the sensor and to the memory for reading codes of laser beams detected by the sensor and for associating the read codes with data in the memory.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a laser shooting system. Moreparticularly this invention concerns a system using laser beams forfirearms training.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A firearm training system is known where, instead of using liveammunition, the trainees use guns provided with laser units that emitlaser beams along the sight lines. Special light-detecting targets areemployed to record hits. Such a system is very useful for trainingshooters who must some day user their firearms near others, as it givesthem the necessary training without in any endangering anyone.

Such shooting systems that serve for supporting the shooting instructionwithout live ammunition and for providing training possibilities areknown from practice. With such shooting systems the character of thissport practiced by sport shooters is underlined, where the power ofconcentration is to be trained and the hand-eye-coordination is to beimproved without having to use live ammunition. Since this sport isgenerally practiced in groups, the shots fired on the target bydifferent persons have to be distinguished.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved firearm training system.

Another object is the provision of such an improved firearm trainingsystem that overcomes the above-given disadvantages, in particularwherein the laser beam detected by the sensor of the target can beassigned to the firearm emitting the laser beam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A firearm training system has according to the invention a plurality ofguns each having a memory having a long-code register holding apredetermined gun-specific long code and a short-code register. The gunalso has a generator of random short codes. A switch means connectedbetween random short-code generator and the short-code register isactuatable for loading a new short code into the short-code register.The guns also has a laser and circuitry connected to the memory forencoding the laser's beam with the long and short codes from therespective registers. The target has a data-holding memory, a laser-beamsensor, and a processor connected to the sensor and to the memory forreading codes of laser beams detected by the sensor and for associatingthe read codes with data in the memory.

Thus the long code or first identifier is specific to the laser unit andthe short code or second identifier is temporary but can be stored inless space memory and transmitted more easily. The random-code generatorallows the short code for a gun to be reset if, for example, itcoincides with the short code from someone else on group doing theshooting training.

This shooting system has the advantage that a first identifier can beattributed to the laser unit that allows distinction between all laserunits made in a production run, like a serial number. This still avoidsthe disadvantage that the first identifier can not be transmitted when ashot is released due to its length. For this purpose, the firstidentifier and the second identifier determined by the random generatorare transmitted to the target in a registration procedure triggered bythe activation of a switch, so that in the target the second identifieris definitely attributed to the laser unit used. This second identifierrequires less memory capacity and can therefore be transmitted morequickly, so that no problem is caused by the fact that this secondidentifier can be randomly selected by several laser units, as long asthese different laser units are not to be registered at the same target.If this should happen, the person with the firearm using the duplicateshort code or second identifier only has to repeat the registrationprocedure, since this way the random generator selects a new secondidentifier and allocates it to the first identifier. Subsequent to thisregistration procedure and to the turning of the switch, only the secondidentifier is transmitted when the following shot is released during theactual training exercise. The second identifier may even be transmittedseveral times, since due to the shortness of the second identifier thereis sufficient time.

Within the framework of the invention it is preferred when the targethas of an indicator for correctly saving and displaying the secondidentifier attributed to a laser unit. This way it is easy to guaranteethat all firearms registered by the target with allocated laser unitswill be matched with respective different second identifiers.

It is advantageous to provide the target with a display unit for thesecond identifier in order to thus inform the person concerned about theidentifier allocated to the person's firearm. Furthermore, the correctobservance of the shot release is thus made possible if the shot scoresachieved in several rounds by a plurality of persons are to be added.The person running the exercise can thus easily determine that all gunsare properly assigned their own short codes, and can see a tally ofsuccessful shots as the exercise progresses.

For a simpler identification of the shooter it is also useful to providethe target with an input unit for the entering a name associated withthe second identifier and displaying the name.

The encoder has to be able to definitely assign the first identifier andthe second identifier to the laser beam. This is carried out optionallyby allocating the transmission code to a pulse sequence of the laserbeam corresponding to the first identifier and/or to the secondidentifier. Alternatively, it is also possible for the encoder to varypulse duration.

One preferred embodiment in the framework of the invention ischaracterized in that the encoder the first identifier and/or the secondidentifier uses different frequencies of the laser beam, that is thefrequency is encoded such that a certain value is attributed to aspecific frequency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become morereadily apparent from the following description, reference being made tothe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic display of the shooting system with a laser unitallocated to a firearm and the target detecting the beam emitted by thelaser unit; and

FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram illustrating the system of thisinvention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

As seen in FIG. 1 a shooting system 1 consisting of a firearm 2 with alaser 4 emitting a laser beam 3 when a “shot” is released, that is whenthe trigger 15 is actuated, and of a target 6 detecting the laser beam 3by means of a sensor 5.

An identifier saved in a first memory unit 13 (FIG. 2) is permanentlyallocated to a laser unit 4. This identifier can be a relatively longcode that is the equivalent of the unique multidigit serial numbertypically assigned a piece of equipment made as part of a largeproduction run.

The laser unit 4 has a second memory unit 11 for a temporary secondidentifier that requires less memory capacity than the first identifier,that is in fact a much shorter number for example having only 2 digits.A random generator 12 is provided for selecting this second identifier.Furthermore, the firearm 2 disposes of an encoder 16 and a switch 10 foroptionally encoding the laser beam 3 with the first identifier and/orthe second identifier.

The target 6 is provided with a sensor 5 and a target memory 14 for aplurality of codes transmitted by different firearms 2. The target isalso provided with a display 7 for correctly saving the secondidentifier allocated to a laser unit 4.

Furthermore, the target 6 has a screen 8 for displaying the secondidentifier, where a name, particularly the name of the shooter can beassigned to the second identifier by means of an input unit 9 and may bedisplayed on the screen 8. The transmission of the first identifierand/or the second identifier can be carried out in form of atransmission of the pulse sequence, a transmission of the pulse width oran encoding of the frequency, the laser beam 3 being pulsed with acertain frequency corresponding to a binary display of the firstidentifier and of the second identifier. Alternatively, the pulse widthmay be varied for the binary display of the number, so that the binarydisplay of 0 is for example defined by the fact that the laser light isswitched on for 20% of a period and that for 80% of the period no signalis being transmitted. The binary display of 1 results from thetransmission of the laser beam for 80% of a period, while for 20% nosignal is transmitted.

When the frequency is encoded, the beam 3 is transmitted with differentfrequencies, each single frequency having a certain value in order tothus be able to display the binary number.

In practice, the shooting system 1 according to the invention is used inthe following manner:

A continuous beam is generated by the activation of a switch 10 that isencoded with the first identifier transmitted to the target 6 when thelaser beam 3 is aimed at the target 6. Subsequently to the transmissionof the first identifier, the second identifier selected by the randomgenerator is transmitted so that in the target memory 14 of the target 6can uniquely associate the first identifier of a given laser unit 4 tothe second identifier. A correct registration of this laser unit 4 inthe target 6 is indicated by the indicator 7.

A person with a second firearm 2 can subsequently carry out theregistration procedure. If the indicator 7 does not indicate a correctregistration in case of a randomly selected identical second identifierdetermined by the random generator being the same as one already in use,the second person, then, has to repeat the registration procedure, sincethe random generator then selects a new second identifier. Subsequent tothe registration of the concerned person's firearm 2 with the laser unit4 by the target 6, the continuous beam 3 is interrupted by the switch10.

With every following shot only the short temporary second identifier istransmitted, so that the shot can be correspondingly short and thesecond identifier may even be transmitted several times.

1. A firearm training system comprising: a plurality of guns each havinga memory having a long-code register holding a predeterminedgun-specific long code and a short-code register, means for generatingrandom short codes, switch means connected between the means forgenerating and the short-code register and actuatable for loading a newshort code into the short-code register, means for generating a laserbeam, and means connected to the memory for encoding the beam with thelong and short codes from the respective registers; and a target havinga data-holding memory, a laser-beam sensor, and means connected to thesensor and to the memory for reading codes of laser beams detected bythe sensor and for associating the read codes with data in the memory.2. The shooting system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for encodingis operable to alternately encode the laser beam with the long code orthe short code from the short-code register.
 3. The shooting systemdefined in claim 1 wherein the target has means for displaying the shortcode.
 4. The shooting system defined in claim 3 wherein the target has amemory holding shooter data and means connected to the display forassociating the shooter data with the short code and displaying theassociated data and short code.
 5. The shooting system defined in claim3 wherein the target has input means for feeding the shooter data intothe target memory.
 6. The shooting system defined in claim 1 wherein thecoding means codes the laser beam with pulse sequences representing thecodes.
 7. The shooting system defined in claim 6 wherein the pulsesequences include pulses of different lengths.
 8. The shooting systemdefined in claim 1 wherein the coding means codes the laser beam byvarying its frequency.